complete

adjective

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com·plete | \ kəm-ˈplēt

completer; completest

Definition of complete

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : having all necessary parts, elements, or steps a complete diet

b of a protein : containing all essential amino acids Beans and grains combined together form a complete protein.

2a : total, absolute complete silence

b : fully carried out : thorough a complete renovation

c of a football pass : legally caught

3 : brought to an end : concluded a complete period of time

4 : highly proficient a complete artist

5 of a subject or predicate : including modifiers, complements, or objects

6 of insect metamorphosis : characterized by the occurrence of a pupal stage between the motile immature stages and the adult — compare incomplete sense 3

7 : having all four sets of floral organs

8 of a metric space : having the property that every Cauchy sequence of elements converges to a limit in the space

complete with

: made complete by the inclusion of a birthday cake complete with candles

complete

verb

completed; completing

Definition of complete (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to bring to an end and especially into a perfected state complete a painting

2a : to make whole or perfect Its song completes the charm of the bird. Her latest purchase completes her collection.

b : to mark the end of A rousing chorus completes the show.

c : execute, fulfill complete a contract

3 : to carry out (a forward pass) successfully The quarterback completed 12 out of 18 passes.

Other Words from complete Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More About complete

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Synonyms & Antonyms for complete

Synonyms: Adjective

Synonyms: Verb

Antonyms: Adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for complete

Adjective

full, complete, plenary, replete mean containing all that is wanted or needed or possible. full implies the presence or inclusion of everything that is wanted or required by something or that can be held, contained, or attained by it. a full schedule complete applies when all that is needed is present. a complete picture of the situation plenary adds to complete the implication of fullness without qualification. given plenary power replete implies being filled to the brim or to satiety. replete with delightful details

Verb

close, end, conclude, finish, complete, terminate mean to bring or come to a stopping point or limit. close usually implies that something has been in some way open as well as unfinished. close a debate end conveys a strong sense of finality. ended his life conclude may imply a formal closing (as of a meeting). the service concluded with a blessing finish may stress completion of a final step in a process. after it is painted, the house will be finished complete implies the removal of all deficiencies or a successful finishing of what has been undertaken. the resolving of this last issue completes the agreement terminate implies the setting of a limit in time or space. your employment terminates after three months

Examples of complete in a Sentence

Adjective He spoke in complete sentences. They sat in complete silence. Verb The project took four months to complete. Her latest purchase completes her collection. The new baby completed their family. The quarterback completed 12 out of 15 passes.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Like Denver—and unlike most powerhouses in the modern NBA—this is a complete team, not a squad with two or three superstars and a bunch of replaceable role players. — Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 9 June 2021 Find our latest coronavirus coverage here, or visit our complete guide to COVID-19 and travel. — Shannon Mcmahon, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 June 2021 The complete conversion will be pricey, including the $10 million that has already been spent. — Kenneth R. Gosselin, courant.com, 9 June 2021 Players will wander the irradiated plains, arm themselves with retrofuturistic munitions, and complete tasks issued out by all sorts of strangers and weirdos left living after the nuclear inferno. — Luke Winkie, Wired, 9 June 2021 The Anne Frank Foundation, which owns the family’s archives, says Frank’s complete diary is important for understanding the full picture of the girl whose ordeal and murder have come to symbolize the tragedy of the Holocaust. — Cnaan Liphshiz, sun-sentinel.com, 9 June 2021 All five models will be shown alongside two other complete sets of Journe watches on loan from collectors. — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 8 June 2021 Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. — Colleen Reilly, Forbes, 8 June 2021 When complete, the deal will vault Simmons from the 35th-largest bank in Memphis to the sixth-largest. — Andrew Moreau, Arkansas Online, 8 June 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Men who complete an associate’s degree or certificate earn between $5,500 and $9,000 more per year compared to male peers who only completed high school. — BostonGlobe.com, 10 June 2021 France will hold discussions with its regional and international partners including the U.S. and complete its plans by the end of this month, Mr. Macron said. — WSJ, 10 June 2021 Other folks are not eligible for the raffle but can still complete the survey. — Bill Jones, chicagotribune.com, 9 June 2021 Currently, air travelers are required to spend three days in quarantine at a hotel at their expense on arrival and then complete their two weeks of self-isolation. — Rob Gillies, Star Tribune, 9 June 2021 The state is also cutting off $300 weekly payments to the unemployed from the federal government and reinstating a requirement that the unemployed complete three job-searching activities a week. — Christine Condon, baltimoresun.com, 7 June 2021 Last year many workers got digital assistants to help complete tasks in areas where remote work disrupted activities the most. — Tamas Hevizi, Forbes, 7 June 2021 Floyd Central scored a run in the top of the seventh but couldn’t complete the comeback. — Phillip Steinmetz, The Courier-Journal, 7 June 2021 The material ranges from rough sketches to nearly complete songs that were in the mixing stage at the time of the producer’s death. — Katie Bain, Billboard, 3 June 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'complete.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

12 Jun 2021

Cite this Entry

“Complete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complete. Accessed 21 Jun. 2021.

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More Definitions for complete

complete

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of complete

(Entry 1 of 2)

: having all necessary parts : not lacking anything

: not limited in any way

: not requiring more work : entirely done or completed

complete

verb

English Language Learners Definition of complete (Entry 2 of 2)

: to finish making or doing (something) : to bring (something) to an end or to a finished state

: to make (something) whole or perfect

American football : to throw (a forward pass) to a teammate who catches it

See the full definition for complete in the English Language Learners Dictionary

complete

adjective

com·plete | \ kəm-ˈplēt

Kids Definition of complete

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : having all necessary parts : not lacking anything a complete set of books

2 : entirely done His training is complete.

3 : thorough sense 1 complete darkness

complete

verb

completed; completing

Kids Definition of complete (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to bring to an end : finish complete a job

2 : to make whole or perfect He needs six more state flags to complete his collection.

complete

adjective

com·plete | \ kəm-ˈplēt

Medical Definition of complete

1 of insect metamorphosis : characterized by the occurrence of a pupal stage between the motile immature stages and the adult — compare incomplete sense 1

2 of a bone fracture : characterized by a break passing entirely across the bone — compare incomplete sense 2

3 of a protein : containing all essential amino acids — compare incomplete sense 4